Buckinghamshire CC's Liberal Democrat group has launched an online petition in a quest to achieve unitary status within the county - it has emerged.

Liberal Democrat councillors hope the countywide petition, which calls for the principle of unitary status to be agreed in principle, will get 2,000 signatures before the next meeting of full council.

Deputy Lib Dem leader Cllr Steen Lambert, who represents Aylesbury Vale DC as well as Buckinghamshire at county level, said the move to unitary status could save £35m annually.

However, he said it would be difficult to pass given Conservative opposition, which at district level has already seen of a motion to adopt a unitary model by 2020.

Earlier this month, Buckinghamshire CC leader Cllr Martin Tett said the county is unlikely to pursue a voluntary path to unitary status, despite support from constituency MP and attorney general Dominic Grieve.

Senior DCLG sources have hinted they would support voluntary moves towards unitary status, but were not minded to force reorganisation upon the sector.